xXluna vamp girlXx
I calculated the cost of the items to make Nomy the Snail, and that is so much more gold than what Nomy the Snail is even worth when you sell it. It seems like this Alchemy thing is kind of a waste of time and gold.
You're paying for the alchemy experience points.
You can also say you're paying for the fun (or "fun" ymmv as to whether it should be quoted) of crafting items yourself.
But mostly, you're paying for the (eventual) ability to make things that only come from Alchemy.